Belt type conveyer



V. S. HUSTON BELT TYPE CONVEYER Nov. 30, 1943.

Filed Nov. 7, 1942 Patented Nov. 30, 1943 BELT TYPE CONVEYER Victor S. Huston, McGufl'ey, Ohio Application November '7, 1942, Serial No. 464,859

2 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyers of the endless belt type, and particularly to those adapted for use in connection with machines for digging and picking up or elevating potatoes, top beets, or the like.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a conveyer of this class which is adapted to release and permit the product carried thereby to pass therethrough at a predetermined discharge point and which has self-cleaning characteristics, whereby wet or gummy soil adhering thereto will be automatically and e-illoiently freed therefrom after the release of the product.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a conveying means embodying the invention, with a part bro-ken away; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of a portion of the conveyer and its supporting structure.

Referring to the drawing, the conveyer embodying the invention is designated l and comprises two laterally spaced flexible chains 2, 2, spacing cross-bars 3 for the chains, and a plurality of successively positioned bottom flaps 4 adapted to close the spaces between the bars 3. While the members 2 are preferably sprocket chains and will be referred to as chains, it will be understood they may be straps or other suitable individual members.

The cross-bars 3 are attached at their ends to the respective chains 2 of a set and are suitably spaced lengthwise of the conveyer to provide it with a plurality of successive open spaces 6 bounded at the sides by the chains and at front and back by the bars. These spaces 6 are adapted to be respectively closed, during a portion of the operating movement of the conveyer, by flaps 4 which are attached at their forward edges, in the direction of intended movement of the conveyer, to the front bar of a space and terminate at their rear edges adjacent, or if desired, in bottom lapping relation to the next rearwardly disposed bar. While it is preferable to provide a separate flap 4 for each space 6, a single flap may be of suffiproduct down through the conveyer spaces when the flaps are released for the purpose, as hereinafter described. These flaps, while of a stiff nature, are preferably sufliciently flexible or pliant to permit a flexing thereof by their own weight, or at least by the weight of the product thereon. For this purpose, a stiff form of belting material has been found very satisfactory. It will be understood, however, that any sheet material of a suitable nature may be used.

In the use of potato digging machines or the like, a greater or less amount of soil is delivered to the conveyer with the product, and if such soil is of a wet, sticky or gummy nature it will adhere to and build up on the conveyer flaps. It is found in practice that this is prevented by having the flaps of a flexible nature so that a bending or flexing thereof in use will break and loosen the soil therefrom.

In practice, the flaps 4, during a predetermined portion of travel of a product supporting run of the conveyer, are retained in closing relation to the conveyer spaces 6 by a supporting and guiding frame part or structure and are permitted to swing down and discharge the product when the advance end of such frame part is reached or when the flaps move into register with a discharge opening therein.

In the present instance, the conveyer is shown as having an upper product advancing and elevating run A with sheaves or sprocket wheels l0 and H at the rear and forward ends thereof, respectively, for engaging and guiding the conveyer chains 2 and as having a run supporting and guiding frame 12 therebetween. The sprocket wheels III are in a lower plane than the wheels II and the frame I! is accordingly inclined at least for a portion of its length, and is of a nature to engage and support the flaps 4 in closed position as they pass thereover. This inclination, however, is not necessary so far as the present invention is concerned. The flap supporting part of the frame, in the present instance, consists of longitudinally extending laterally spaced bars l3 which permit any dirt falling thereon to pass therebetween.

machine for digging potatoes, or the like, and the product delivered onto the conveyer by any suitable means after it has been dug.

The flaps 4 are preferably free to swing through the spaces so that they will flex inwardly from the conveyer when passing over the discharge opening of the frame and will flex outwardly from the conveyer during its return or bottom run, thus permitting a flexing of the flaps in both directions relative to the inner side of the conveyer and enhancing their self-cleaning action.

The cross-bars H are preferably but not necessarily rather closely spaced so that there will be a tendency for the potato plants and weeds that may be carried onto the conveyer with the potatoes to bridge across and be supported by the bars. Such plants or weeds will thus pass with the conveyer over the discharge opening and be discharged from the forward end of the conveyer.

In the use of flexible flaps in a conveyer of the class described, it is found that in addition to the self-cleaning feature they also, when closing, prevent injury to the product, as there can be no crushing action of the product thereby. They enable higher speeds of the conveyer to be maintained without injury to the flaps in turning about sheaves or the like; they permit the use of various size sprockets without regard to the length of the flaps; they are adapted to substantially conform to any turning arc of the conveyer, thereby requiring very little free space without any turn to accommodate the flaps, and also have frame providing a discharge opening at a predetermined point in the associated run, and said conveyer having spaced side members and cross bars connecting said side members at spaced intervals, of flexible product supporting flaps attached to some at least of said cross bars and trailing therefrom and each adapted to close the immediately following space when in the plane of the associatedconveyer run, said frame supporting the flaps in space closing position when passing thereover and permitting the flaps to flex downward by gravity to discharge matter supported thereby when passing over said frame opening, and said flaps at their free ends being unsupported except by said frame when passing thereover and being free except for said frame to flex through the associated conveyer space and downward by gravity from the respective run of the conveyer with which it is traveling.

2. The combination with an endless belt type conveyer guided to have upper and lower runs, and a supporting frame for one of said runs, said frame providing a discharge opening at a predetermined point in the associated run, and said conveyer having spaced side members and cross bars connecting said members at spaced intervals and fixedly attached to the members to prevent turning of the bars relative to the members, of flexible product supporting flaps fixedly attached to some at least of said cross bars and trailing therefrom and each adapted to close the immediately following space when in the plane of the associated conveyer run, said frame supporting the flaps in space closing position when passing thereover and permitting the flaps to flex downward by gravity to discharge matter supported thereby when passing over said frame opening, and said flaps at their free ends being unsupported except by said frame when passing thereover and being free except for said frame to flex through the associated conveyer space and downward from the respective run of the conveyer with which it is traveling and when so flexed to assume a bowed form.

VICTOR S. HUSTON. 

